Warnings of Change in the Church
Is
it possible that Christianity may have been radically transformed in previous centuries?
Surprising as it may seem, both Jesus Christ and the apostles warned of changes that
would come in the Church. Were these empty warnings, or did Christ foretell a subtle
yet deadly threat to the religion that bears His name?
Notice the ominous tone of His warnings to His followers:
"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly
they are ravenous wolves" (Matthew 7:15). He explained: "Not everyone who
says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the
will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we
not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders
in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me,
you who practice lawlessness!' " (verses 21-23).
Jesus knew that some would feign obedience to His
teachings, but their actions would reveal their motives. "But why do you call
Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?" He asked them (Luke
6:46, emphasis added throughout).
How would this be possible? Shortly before His death,
Jesus described to His disciples the trends that would begin in the near future and
culminate before His yet-future return to earth. He warned of false teachers who
would "rise up and deceive many" (Matthew 24:11). Many of these would claim
to come in His name and represent Him (verse 5), yet they would teach a different
message. Many would fall prey to their deceptive teachings, Christ warned.
Notice that the deception would center on His person.
They would rightly say Jesus was the Christ, yet deceive many. The issue turns on
obedience to Christ (Luke 6:46). Worshiping Jesus Christ should always be accompanied
by keeping the commandments of God. These deceptive trends would include "false
christs and false prophets [who] will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive,
if possible, even the elect" (Matthew 24:24). So great will be their beguiling
powers and teachings, said Jesus, that even those firmly grounded in biblical truth
would be in danger of being led astray.
Did this great work of deception begin in the Church
as Jesus prophesied? Yes, it did. The apostle Paul issued this sad prediction to
the congregation in Ephesus: "For I know this, that after my departure savage
wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves
men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves"
(Acts 20:29-30).
Echoing Jesus' words about those who would distort
His words to teach lawlessness-disobedience to the instructions in God's law-Paul
observed that "the mystery of lawlessness is already at work" (2 Thessalonians
2:7) and will continue until Christ puts an end to it at His return (verse 8).
The apostle Peter also warned of this deceitful
influence at work in the early Church. "But there were also false prophets among
the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring
in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves
swift destruction" (2 Peter 2:1).
In the same way the apostle John cautioned the brethren
in the Church, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits,
whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world"
(1 John 4:1).
Considering these warnings and statements, we would
do well to examine the roots of Christianity and see whether these trends did, in
fact, influence the Church and possibly what you believe! GN
-- Scott Ashley
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